Stocking Fund reception held at FCTI

More than 600 people tried to fill the holiday stockings of those in need in St. Johns County Tuesday.

"There are no scrooges in the house," said emcee Tom Stoiber, marketing and continuing education coordinator at First Coast Technical Institute.

And he was right. St. Johns County's generosity resulted in more than $10,000 donated at the Empty Stocking Fund reception at the tech institute Tuesday night. Donations should surpass last year's total of $10,600.

And that's just the preliminary estimate of at-the-door donations and gingerbread house bids.

In return, tech institute culinary students treated visitors to an array of gourmet treats.

The institute's buffet catering class created such delights as almond-base cream cheese tartlettes, shrimp on celery with Dijon mustard and capers, and hummus in filo cups.

The institute centerpieces, although edible, were too pretty to eat. One looked like a bouquet of daisies, but was made of potatoes, radishes and green onions.

Another, reindeer pulling Santa in his sleigh, was made of sweet potatoes handpicked to look like reindeer. The horns were made of ginger.

And the ice sculptures were literal works of art.

Of course, the gingerbread houses were a big draw, with awards going to those with the greatest detail. One house even had an edible toilet and rubber ducky.

Entertainment included Al Brennan of WFOY on the piano; the St. Augustine High School Show Choir; Kevin Mills and Corey Patterson as The Groove Merchants; and barbershop quartet Silver Edition.

Everything was donated. The entertainment was volunteer. The food and ingredients were donated by local vendors. And the tech institute students and staff donated their time and talents. "That's part of their education," Stoiber said.

The tech institute and The Record have partnered on the reception since the Empty Stocking Fund's inception 17 years ago.

"We want people in the community to know us as their neighbors," Stoiber said.

And it's a way of supporting the community, said Chris Cothron, tech institute president."We believe in the Empty Stocking Fund."